Carnedd Llewelyn Mountain

Hours: Open year-round

Admission: Free (open access)

Carnedd Llewelyn is a mountain in north Wales forming part of the Carneddau range inside Snowdonia National Park. Its summit reaches 1,064 metres, making it the second-highest peak in Wales.

The plateau-like summit and long ridges attract hillwalkers and peak-baggers; routes commonly link it with nearby peaks on the Carneddau ridge and can include rocky sections and open peatland. The highest point is marked and offers wide views across Snowdonia on clear days.

The feature is natural rather than man-made; its name derives from Welsh tradition. It has long been used for grazing and hillwalking and appears on Ordnance Survey maps and hill lists used by walkers.

The mountain sits within the Carneddau massif in north Wales, on the uplands of Snowdonia National Park and straddles administrative boundaries in the Conwy/Gwynedd area. The landscape around it is upland moor and crag, with other major Carneddau peaks nearby.

• Elevation and rank: Summit elevation is 1,064 metres, making it the second-highest peak in Wales after Snowdon.

Carnedd Llewelyn is a mountain in the Carneddau, Snowdonia. Common access routes are from the A5 (Ogwen Valley/Llyn Ogwen area) or from roads around Capel Curig; park at established laybys or mountain car parks in the Ogwen/Capel Curig areas and follow marked mountain tracks and ridgelines to the summit-this is a full mountain hike requiring maps and mountain kit.

There is no direct public transport to the summit; local buses serve nearby villages such as Bethesda and Capel Curig from where the approach on foot is several kilometres and will take multiple hours depending on route and conditions.

• Start very early if you want clear summit views-Carnedd Llewelyn and the Carneddau ridge often cloud over in the afternoon, so a dawn start improves visibility.
• Stick to established ridge paths and cairns on the Carneddau; the terrain is exposed and navigation can be difficult in mist, so plan a route in advance and allow extra time.
• Choose a route that matches daylight and your experience-the ridge is remote and, once committed, walking out in poor conditions can be slow, so allow spare time for changing weather.